Getting off the Expat waggon?

Were you happy with your decision or did you get lured back into the expat lifestyle?

DH got made redundant recently and we cannot get our heads around not being expats anymore. In a way we have to consider all options but the option of staying put and taking a more "pedestrian" job doesn't seem to be one of them.

Papalazaru so sorry must be awful - here's hoping the worst phase of the transition is over soon.

RE we've been considering this question a lot as I am pregnant with our first DC, and we have been having the 'should we go home' debate... but we think we're just not ready to give up the interest and excitement and perks... Even if we stay longer and I go off my expat deal onto a local contract, and it's all a bit more pedestrian like you say, I'll still be an expat but then we're in Japan where you never feel like a local unless you're Japanese, I think.

A friend I met in HK nailed it I think - she's from Sydney and has thought about returning home, dreaming about running along her favourite beach of a morning. But then she said "I know I'll have an amazing couple of weeks back home, go for my run along the beach and love it, but then look out to the sea and ask what's next?"

I get so homesick for England, but tend to be back for a few weeks then yearn to come 'home' to friends who understand what this ex pat life is like and our lovely way of life !We have a nice home, good school, fantastic social life and I don't feel ready to give it up, my DH however us ready to go home and settle down, buy a 'forever' home, but all my friends who have moved back have really struggled and told us to stay out here as long as we can - feel a bit torn !

I think there will be less of a wrench to leave Paris for us. DD1 has had a horrible time at school in the last few weeks, and many of her friends are leaving, and DD2's BFF is going back to the US, so in some ways it would be worse for them to be "left behind" as it were. I am also being driven mad by my job and the bureaucracy here andtheParisians and am really ready to leave.

Hello, REexpat, I know what you mean. I am so excited to move, We have found a wonderful, warm school for our children, so much better than anything we could offer them here.

I have lived in various countries since I was 20, nothing too exotic such as the Congo or Peru, but I ticked all the locations off that I wanted to experience. The last one is the US and I can't wait to go.

As others have mentioned before I also feel restless and can call no place truly my home.

Sorry to butt in but Hello Mrs S - sorry to hear you are going! But it sounds as if you are very happy to. I hope your DDs settle in to their new schools quickly. Good luck wight the move. We are just transferring onto a local contract so look as if we'll be here for a bit yet. I am a bit jealous of you going back to London though.

Been back in the UK for nearly two weeks now. And the oddest thing is that it almost feels as though the last nine years never happened! Everything is oddly familiar but different. And not one person has commented on my lovely accent . The last couple of days before we left were just terrible and we all cried all the way to the airport. But we just have to get on with things now.... I just wish it was a bit warmer - think my short shorts will never come out of the wardrobe .